1st Edition

Women in the Third World An Encyclopedia of Contemporary Issues

Edited By Nelly P. Stromquist Copyright 1998

    Ideal for researching the status and activities of Third World women
    For quick, reliable coverage of women's issues in developing countries, here is a concise reference work written by a team of more than 80 international experts. The Encyclopedia comprises 68 essays that cover the entire Third World, from Africa to Asia, from the Near East to South and Central America, from the South Pacific to the Caribbean. The women authors are acknowledged experts from Harvard University, the World Bank, the United Nations Development Fund for Women, the University of Nairobi, the International Labor Organization, and other institutions, who summarize the most recent scholarship on a wide range of important subjects. Thoroughly indexed and cross-referenced, the Encyclopedia is an ideal starting point for in-depth research in such areas as:
    recent developments in the prevention of violence against women * the conditions of women's lives across regions and countries * women's participation in government, science, and technology * hidden curriculum issues in higher education * an overview of women's experiences as small-scale entrepreneurs

    A feminist viewpoint enhances the coverage
    Informed throughout by a feminist perspective, the Encyclopedia focuses on traditional women's concerns, such as political participation, human rights, nutrition, housework, the family, equality, health, and more. But the coverage also extends to such issues as domestic and sexual violence, creation of women-friendly cities, patriarchal ideologies as religious beliefs, the needs of older women, new jobs and exploitation in industrial production, AIDS, the gender consequences of ecological devastation, movements for change, and other areas of increasing awareness. Geographical entries cover all the major regions and countries and discuss conditions and issues in each area.

    Spotlights the newest and best sources
    The Encyclopedia brings together information that has been widely scattered in sources from many disciplines. An introduction by the editor illuminates the most important issues faced by Third World women today and analyzes the drastically changed global situation and how the changes impacted on the material presented in the Encyclopedia.

    Reference aids make information retrieval easy
    An annotated bibliography of the latest and most important sources, as well as a reference list at the end of each chapter, provide quick access to current literature. A thorough name and subject index makes it easy to pinpoint information.

    Special Features
    Offers articles by recognized scholars and activists on gender and developmental issues * Presents a variety of perspectives by women from both industrialized and developing countries * Summarizes the literature of established disciplines, bringing together important material scattered in many sources * Identifies new areas for research affecting gender and development in emerging fields, such as legal rights * Outlines strategies for action in such critical areas as ecology and urban issues * An annotated bibliography and list of references at end of each chapter make it easy to expand your research

    Conceptual and Theoretical Issues * Political and Legal Contexts * Sex Role Ideologies * Demographics and Health * Marriage and the Family * Women and Production * Women and the Environment * Enabling Conditions for Change * Movements for Change * Geographical Entries * Annotated BibliographyA sampling of the coverageViolence Against Women * Women in Transition to Democracy * Refugee Women * Women and War * Machismo in Latin America * Childrearing Practices * Sex Segregation in the Labor Force * International Aid Agencies * Islam and Women's Roles * Factors Affecting Fertility * Women and Contraception * Women 's Control Over Their Bodies * Gender and Aging * Women's Labor Incomes * Women and Literacy * Informal and Nonformal Education * Women and Apartheid * Women in Anti-Clonial Movements * Women in Israel, Southern Africa, China, Cuba, India, and other countries. Index. Charts. Bibliography.

    Biography

    Nelly P. Stromquist is Professor of International Development Education in the School of Education, University of Southern California. She is also a past president of the Comparative and International Education Society. Among her recent publications are Gender and Basic Education in International Development Cooperation and Literacy for Citizenship: Gender and Dynamics

    "It is indeed a very useful source of material for those interested in any of a number of issues relating to women and development." -- Compare
    "Provides timely information and insight into the complex issues facing women living in the economically, culturally, and politically diverse Third World. An excellent resource, this book belongs in large public and in college library collections." -- Choice
    "For quick, reliable, coverage of women's issues in developing countries, [this] is a concise reference work written by more than 80 international experts."